Fisherman&#39;s plier type shot splitting tool



Sept. 29, 1953 H. PRECIOUS FISHERMANS PLIER TYPE snow SPLITTING TOOLFiled Aug. 24, 1951 F/G. i.

INVENTOR H468) H. PRECIOUS,

ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 29,1953

FISHERMANS PLIER TYPE SHOT SPLITTING TOOL Harry H. Precious, WisconsinRapids, Wis.

Application August 24, 1951, Serial N 0. 243,549

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a tool for use by fishermen, and moreparticularly, has reference to a tool of the pliers type, that isspecifically adapted for attaching split shot to a fishing line orleader, or removing said shot from the line or leader, the tool beingalso adapted for cutting the line and for related purposes.

Split shot is used by many fishermen for the purpose of weighting theirlines, said shot being generally formed in pellet shape, each pellethaving a slot adapted to receive a fishing line or leader to which thepellet is to'be clamped.

Heretofore, to my knowledge there has not been suggested a toolspecifically adapted to open or close split shot, and up to the presenttime, it has been the custom among fishermen to open the shot, or clampthe shot to the line, with their teeth, or with conventional pliers.When a conventional pair of pliers is used, the pliers are adapted toclose the shot upon the line, but are not adapted for removing the shot,and it has been customary to use a knife or the like to cut the line, sothat the split shot may be pulled off the cut end. Obviously, thisresults in an undesirable loss of time, and also requires retieing ahook or fly to the line before fishing can be resumed. customarily, aknife or a pair or fingernail clippers are used to trim undesirable endsfrom the re-tied line or leader.

It is the main object of the present invention to provide a tool whicheliminates these several operations and tools that have heretofore beenrequired, the tool comprising the present invention being specificallyadapted to clamp the pellet to the line or leader, open the pellet forremoval without requirement of cutting the line, and reclamp the pelletto the line whenever and ble of manufacture at relatively low cost.

Other objects will appear from the following description, the claimappended thereto, and

from the annexed drawing, in which like reference characters designatelike parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of a tool formed in accordance with thepresent invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevational View;

' Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective View showing the headend of the tool, the tool being illustrated as it appears when in useduring the opening of a pellet; and

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3, the tool being illustrated as itappears whenbeing used to clamp a pellet to a line or leader.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the reference numeral l0 designatesan elongated, longitudinally curved handle integrally formed at one endwith a generally circular head l2 formed to a width which is half thatof the handle, the head having a large opening l4 extending trans:-versely of the tool. The formation of the head to a width half that ofthe handle defines at the upper end of the head a shoulder I6. I

Immediately rearward of the head I 2, the handle I6 is formed with ahalf round recess [8, for a purpose to be made presently apparent.

Integral with and projecting forwardly from the head I2 is a jaw 20having a wholly fiat working face 22.

A handle 24 is identical, though opposite to, the handle l0, and isformed at one end with a head 26 whichjis half the Width ofthe handle24, the heads l2 and 26 being arranged in side-by side relation. Thehead 26 is formed with an opening 28 registering with the opening 14 ofthe head I2, and extending through the registering openings is a pivotpin 30. Immediately rearward of the head 26, the handle 24 is formedwith a half round recess 3| cooperating with the recess I8 of the handle[0 to define a space adapted to receive a small pellet or split shot,thus to permit said pellet to be clamped to a fishing line or leaderwhen the handles in and 24 are swung toward one another.

Integral with the head 26, and extending forwardly therefrom, is a jaw32 which is slightly shorter in length than the jaw 26. The working faceof the jaw 32 is formed with a semi-circular recess 34, the outer endedge of which intersects with the end face of the jaw 32 to form a linecutting edge 36. As may be noted from Figure 2, when the jaws are intheir closed positions, the edge 36 engages against the flat workingface 22 at a location spaced inwardly from the outer end of said workingface 22. Thus, a line can be positioned under the edge 36, upon the fiatface 22, and on closing of the jaws said line will be cut swiftly andneatly.

A line or leader has been designated 38, and a pellet or split shot hasbeen designated 40, said pellet being of conventional formation andbeing provided with the radial slot 42 adapted to receive the line 38,so that the pellet may be efficiently clamped to said line.

The operation of clamping the pellet to the line is illustrated inFigure 4, and as may be noted, the recess 34 of the jaw 32 is adapted toreceive the"pellet,-so.aas'to holdrthepellet against droppingaccidentallybut of thetool. Theiline or leader 38 is extended into theslot 42, after which the handles [0 and 24 are swung toward one another,thus to close the slot 42 and clamp the pellet securely to the fishingline.

At such times as it may be desired to remove the pellet from the fishing,line, r-=itl--.-is smer.e ly necessary to turn the pellet upwardly, sothat its slot 42 is aligned with the tutti-rag e'dge 36, in the mannershown in Figure 3. Thereafter, swinging of the handles [0 and 24 towardone another-willbe effective to spreadthe slot, so as'to permit thefishing line to be removedfrom the pellet. Thespreading of the slotoccurs because the portion of the jaw'32 disposed immediately above thecutting edge3'6 .is of'wedge shape. '.The wedgejshape of the outer endof the jaw32 obtainsrby reason of the converging relation ofthe outerendjface of said jaw with Itheoutertportionof 'thewall of the recess34.

Cons'i'deringlthe purp'oselof the stop shoulder 16,..thisdimits opening..movement of the jaws, sai'd shoulder-engagingfthe head 26 under thesecircumstances. vTItw'illIbe understood that the headl'2'6isalsoformedwith astop shoulder, at .the oppositesidetofthe tool, said shouldersbinding substantially simultaneously against the heads. contiguousthereto.

It..isl.to' .be noted that by. providing theknife with acontinuouscurvefrom the ,base to the cutting edge. thereof, suchcurvewill impart a corresponding curvature .to the. split formed in the shot..This curving of the split will have a .desirableeife'ct when the shotvis subsequently clamped-inamanner to closethe split. "When the split isclosed it will provide a curved line rather. than a straight radial lineextending from the center.oftheshotlto the outer surface thereof. ,The:use of a curved line .will 1 eliminate or measurably. reduce thepossibility .of the line accidentally being pulled out of the split ininstances in which the split is not clamped about the line withsufficient tightness.

It is believed .clear that the invention is not necessarily confined tothe specific use or uses thereof described above, since it may beutilized for any purpose to which it may be suited. Nor is the inventionto be necessarily limited to the specific construction illustrated anddescribed, since such construction; is rionly intended to beillustrative of the principles of operation and lthe means presentlydevised to carry out said principles, it being considered that theinvention comprhendaany minor changes in construction "that may bepermitted within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed is:

"In a shot-splitting fishermans tool of the pliers type, a pair ofpivotally connected handles; and first and second jaws rigid with therespective. handles, the second jaw having a shot-supportingface;the'-first jaw'being shorterinlength than" the second "jaw forprojection ,;of--the 'outer endof'the 'second'iaw'beyond' the outer endof the'first jaw, the first jaw havingat. its 'outer end a "splittingknife extending toward 'the second jaw, "said knife tapering thedirection of the second jaw to terminate;in-a kniferedgev,adjacentjsaid; face of the; secondij aw, the opposite, convergingsurfaces "of isaidtap'ered' knife being each formed with a. continuouscurve extending fully "for the length 'ofithe' knife from'the base tosaid knife edge thereof "with;said .curves. of the converging surfacesof fthe"knife"being ;extended in the same direction, to impart acorrespending curvature to a split;'formed-in ;a. shot by saidknife.

'HARRY H. PRECIOUS.

"References- Cited in the file of this patent UNITED. STATES LPA'IYENTSNumber 1 Name ;Date

' 753,456 -=Weidinger Mar. 1,-11904 2838,920 j-Varnedoe Dec. 18,119.66

1942356 ishelleyl. :Dec. 7, 1909 1344,046 lLee June '22,:1920-2;26'T;660 i'lllclihail. ;D.ec. 23,;1941 122,5? 1-;819 lzBoelget-aluflctzgl'fi, 1 951

